Isaac touched his reddened jaw, a twistedsmile forming. “That was an impressive hit. I wouldn’t have expected that from you.”
Grady appeared by Winston’s side, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. “Do not let him get to you, my lord,” he advised. “Isaac is trying to get a rise out of you.”
He had succeeded.
Winston flexed his throbbing hand, the pain a stark reminder of his loss of control. “Get off my property, Isaac, or else I will have you forcibly removed.”
Isaac rose slowly, dusting off his trousers with deliberate movement. “I will go, for now. After all, I would not want you to go through all that trouble just for me,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “I do hope you have an enjoyable meal with Miss Bawden. I would hate for anything bad to happen to her.”
Winston lunged forward, fury propelling him, but Grady held him back, stepping between him and Isaac. “Do not let him goad you, my lord,” he insisted. “He isn’t worth it.”
Isaac’s lips twitched. “I would listen to your guard,” he said before walking away.
Grady didn’t release him right away but kept a firm grip on him. “You cannot lower yourself to Isaac’s level.”
“He threatened Miss Bawden,” Winston said through clenched teeth. “What other choice did I have?”
“You always have a choice,” Grady replied, finally letting go. “Reacting with violence only gives him what he wants.”
Winston watched Isaac’s retreating figure, his mind racing with thoughts of Mattie’s safety. “I won’t let him harm Miss Bawden.”
Grady nodded. “You are doing everything you can to ensure her protection.”
A thought occurred to him. “Why are you here and not at Miss Bawden’s cottage?”
“I thought my presence here was more important, considering you couldn’t help but engage in fisticuffs withIsaac,” Grady responded, his tone a mix of concern and reproach.
“I hate that man,” Winston said, his voice low.
Grady gave him a thoughtful look. “Besides threatening Miss Bawden, did he say something else to upset you?”
“Does it matter?”
“No, I suppose not,” Grady said. “But do not underestimate Isaac. He has a lot to gain by getting Lady Sarah back in his life.”
Winston bobbed his head, his mind still replaying Isaac’s words. The mention of Johnny and his mother had struck a nerve. Guilt and sorrow welled up inside of him, and he desperately needed to be alone to process everything. The realization that he was responsible for the deaths of two people was almost too much to bear.
“Go keep Miss Bawden safe. I will be fine,” Winston ordered before he headed towards Brockhall Manor.
But he knew that was far from the truth. How could he be all right, knowing that Johnny was dead? He would need to confirm what Isaac told him, but it could take days until the newssheets arrived from London.
As he stepped into the entry hall of the manor, he was met by his mother and sisters, their faces etched with concern.
“What is wrong?” Winston asked. He worked hard to mask his inner turmoil.
His mother frowned. “Why did you hit Isaac?” she inquired, her tone holding censure.
Seeing no reason to hide the truth, Winston replied, “I assure you that it was warranted. I want everyone to stay far away from him.”
“What was he doing here?” Elodie asked.
Winston sighed heavily. “He was threatening Mattie,” he revealed, the weight of the admission pressing down on him. “He can’t get to us so he is trying to go after her.”
Melody spoke up, her eyes full of understanding. “That is why you were so insistent that she ride in a coach from now on.”
“It is,” Winston said, his patience wearing thin. He wanted to be alone, and he was tired of answering these questions. “If you will excuse me…”
He was about to retreat to his bedchamber when Elodie approached him, wrapping her arms around him in a comforting embrace. After a moment, she stepped back and said, “You looked as if you needed a hug.”
